School, community mourns Hudson nephew

October 27, 2008 4:32:05 PM PDT

CHICAGO --

Students at Gunsaulus Scholastic Academy began the day with news about why second grader Julian King wasn't in school. He'd been missing since Friday when his uncle and grandmother were found murdered. "We have a team that went to the classrooms and talked with the students," said Erin Copland, Gunsaulus Guidance counselor.

"He was such a sweet, sweet child. Everybody loved him, just very angelic and very gentle child, very sensitive. It's so sad that it happened to this child," said Amy Kotz, Gunsaulus principal.

"It's a terrible situation all around, and they wanted the kids to understand that, you know, sometimes bad things happen to people we love, but we have to move forward," said Elba Pluas, Gunsaulus assistant principal.

Clyde Harrison said he drove Julian's school bus. Harrison says Julian's mother, Julia, is a bus driver as well. He said it was Julian's grandmother who met Julian after school.

"It's terrible. He definitely didn't deserve it. He was only a 7-year-old kid and, you know, he comes from such a nice family," Harrison siad.

Vanessa Gonzalez is a volunteer at the school, and her daughter is a classmate of Julian's Gonzalez says police called her home in case she had heard or seen anything to help find Julian.

"I'm a mom, so it's like, my heart is breaking for them, you know, and just praying for the best," Gonzalez said.

Word of Julian King's death has only added to the grief of relatives and neighbors in Chicago's Englewood community.

Friends and strangers continued to gather at the Hudson home in the 7000-block of South Yale Monday.

"I hoped and I prayed that it's not him and I said to everybody, 'I'm not going to be satisfied until God reveals what happened,'" said Tonya Mourner.

As word spread of the discovery of a young boy's body inside a white SUV, neighbors arrived expressing grief.

"I'm really concerned for the mother and how she's feeling. I just want to let her know that she is in my prayers and I would never want to go through what she is going through right now," said neighbor Stephanie Patton.

"God gives life and God takes life, and it's just so devastating to our family," said Rev. Krista Alston, Jennifer Hudson's cousin.

Chicago police detectives once again visited the crime scene as the community continued to give support to the family and a neighborhood pleaded for the violence to end.

"The Hudson family's been in this community over 30 years. It's very important that the community rally around and support the process here," said Tio Hardiman, Ceasefire.

A candlelight vigil was held outside the Hudson home Monday night.It wasn't a typical candlelight vigil. Dozens of people gathered over an hour and sand Jennifer Hudson's number one song "Spotlight" and expressing their love and support for the family.

"Jason was just a cool person to be around. He was real nice, always helping out others," said Necey Reed, friend.